BT Ulster Colleges Hurling All-Stars Unveiled
The cream of Ulster's young hurling crop has been officially recognised today with the selection of the 2009/10 BT Ulster Colleges Hurling All-Stars.
The All-Star scheme, now in its 23rd year, rewards excellence in skill and sportsmanship with players selected over the course of two trial games, following an initial nomination by their school. And with around 70 pupils participating in this year's trials, competition for the 15 places proved as fierce as ever.
The 2009/10 All-Stars comprise four St Mary's CBS pupils, three from Cross & Passion College Ballycastle, while there are two pupils each for St Patrick's Armagh and St Louis Ballymena. An additional four schools have one player each named; St MacNissi's College Garron Tower, Rathmore Grammar, De La Salle College and St Patrick's Academy, Dungannon.
St. Mary's CBS' four awards see the school overtake St. Patrick's Maghera at the top of the board with a total of 72 hurling All-Stars over the past 23 years of the scheme. Conversely it is a first ever hurling All-Star for St. Patrick's Dungannon, the current holders of the MacRory Cup which has collected 20 football awards over the years.
The 2009/10 BT Ulster Colleges Hurling All-Stars are:
Goalkeeper: Philip Crean, Rathmore Grammar
Midfield: Conor Laverty, Cross & Passion, B'castle
Right Corner Back: Ciarán Orchin, St. Mary's CBS
Right Half Forward: Paddy Heaney, St. Patrick's Armagh
Full Back: Matthew Donnelly, Cross & Passion, B'castle
Centre Half Forward: Stephen Beatty, De La Salle College, Belfast
Left Corner Back: Dan Kinney, St. MacNissi's College, Garron Tower
Left Half Forward: Conal McMahon, St. Louis B'mena
Right Half Back: Sean Kelly, St. Patrick's Dunngannon
Right Corner Forward: Conor McNally, St. Patrick's Armagh
Centre Half Back: Christopher McGuinness, St. Mary's Belfast
Full Forward: Shane Jennings, Cross & Passion B'Castle
Left Half Back: Conor McClelland, St. Mary's Belfast
Left Corner Forward: Dónal McKinley, St. Louis B'mena
Midfield: Declan Lynch, St. Mary's Belfast
Peter Morris, Consumer Director at BT said: 'The All-Stars is a fantastic initiative that BT is now proud to be part of under our renewed sponsorship of the Ulster Colleges GAA. On behalf of BT, I would like to congratulate the 15 outstanding players we are honouring here today. High performance and the creation of high performing teams is something very dear to our hearts in BT as we strive to be number one for customer service. Commitment, hard work and dedication are the attributes of any star performer and I'm delighted that we're here today to recognise those players at the top of their game'.
Seamus Meehan, Chairman of the Ulster Colleges' Council, said: 'To achieve an Ulster Colleges All Star Award is to rightly earn a place in hurling's hall of fame. These awards recognise and reward these talented players' commitment and endeavour on the hurling field.' 'We have enjoyed a great working relationship with BT over the past eight years with our under-age competitions and we are pleased that such a strong brand has extended their association with us to include our flagship awards' scheme.' The awards will officially be presented at a Gala Dinner in the New Year.
BT has supported the GAA at grassroots level for the past eight years, through the Ulster Colleges under-16s and recently extended this partnership to support the under-18 level. BT is also increasing its support through the creation of the 'BT Genius Bursary', where each year five players, between the ages of 16 and 18, are awarded a bursary based on personal demonstration of inspiration, a positive attitude, brilliant ability and generous sportsmanship. The BT Ulster Colleges Football All-Stars will also be announced on December 21st 2009.
Notes for Editors:
- 2009/10 BT Ulster Colleges' Hurling All Stars
- Goalkeeper : Philip Crean
School : Rathmore Grammar
Club: O'Donovan Rossa
Philip has represented his school at all levels. He has been in Antrim Under-age Development Squads at various age-groups and represented his province in the Under 16 Shinty International in 2008.
With Rossa he has collected a range of medals South West Antrim Shield and Féile na nGael, U16 South West Antrim Shield, Antrim Minor and U21 Championships. - Right Corner Back : Ciarán Orchin
School : St Mary's CBS
Club : O'Donovan Rossa
Ciarán has collected Ulster Colleges' medals for the BT MacNamee, Br Leonard and Foresters' Cups and was an Antrim Year 12 All-star With Rossa, he has medals for the Nipper Quinn, South Antrim U14, U16 championships, Antrim minor and Under 21 championships. A keen footballer and handballer, Ciarán holds county handball titles at the following levels — Under 14 singles, Under 15 doubles and Under 17 singles. He has also a provincial medal for the under 15 doubles. - Full-back : Matthew Donnelly
School : Cross & Passion, Ballycastle
Club : McQuillan's Ballycastle
Matthew wins his second successive award at full-back. He has won Ulster Colleges' hurling medals at every level, including 2 for the Mageean Cup, the last as captain in October. He was also at full-back on the Cross & Passion team that won their first All-Ireland O'Keefe Cup title last April and he captained his school to the BT Foresters' Cup in 2008. At club level, he has won a host of under-age medals, and captained his county at both under 15 and under 16 level. He won an Ulster Minor medal with Antrim last year and also captained Ulster in the 2008 Shinty International. He is a member of the Ulster elite Development Squad and was Moyle Young Sportsperson of 2008. He is a son of former Antrim and Ulster hurler Brian and he equals the achievement of his brother Ryan who won two Colleges' All-stars in 2005 and 2006. - Left Corner Back : Dan Kinney
School : St MacNissi's College, Garron Tower
Club : Ruairí Óg, Cushendall
Dan has represented his school at all levels in hurling including captaining this year's Seniors that have reached the BT Casement Cup final. He was also a Year 12 Antrim All-Star in 2009. At club level, he has collected medals for the U12 Championship, U-16 North Antrim Shield, Darragh Cup, and a Feis Minor Sevens. He has represented St MacNissi's in football, soccer and Cross Country, winning medals in the latter discipline at NEBSSA and Ulster level. - Right-half back : Sean Kelly
School : St Patrick's Dungannon
Club: Naomh Colum Cille / Brocagh Emmett's
Sean is the first player from St Patrick's Academy to be awarded a Colleges' hurling All-star. It completes a momentous year for Sean as he collected Tyrone and Ulster Junior medals with his club Naomh Colum Cille in the autumn and an All-Ireland Minor C title with his county in July. He also holds an Ulster Féile na nGael Div 3, and Tyrone minor league and U16 championship medals, as well as a L'Estrange Shield medal with his school. He plays football for Brocagh and won a Tyrone under 16 league medal in 2008. - Centre-half back : Christopher McGuinness
School : St. Mary's Belfast
Club: O'Donovan Rossa, Belfast
Christopher is winning his second All-star, having been selected at centre-half forward last season. He is a dual player and has collected Ulster Colleges' medals at BT MacNamee, Gallagher, Corn Colmchille, Treanor and Foresters' Cup level as well as Mageean and MacLarnon Cups two seasons ago. At club level, he has won 3 under 12 hurling, 2 under 14 and under 16 hurling medals at south Antrim level as well as under 16 and Minor football and hurling medals. He was also on the Rossa side that recently won the under 21 hurling title. With Antrim, he won an All-Ireland under 14 hurling medal and under 16 and 2 Ulster minor league and championship medals. Christopher was also a finalist in the Junior Chess Masters' championship 2006. - Left-half back : Conor McClelland
School : St. Mary's Belfast
Club : Gortnamona
Conor has collected medals with his school at all levels and was Player of the Match in a Mageean Cup final. This is his second All-star as he made the team two seasons ago at full-back. He has represented Antrim through under-age teams and holds 2 Ulster Minor league and championship medals, while with Gortnamona he has 2 Antrim and Ulster Intermediate championships, an Ulster league Division 2 and an Antrim under 16 championship. He has won football medals for Antrim under 14 and under 16 championships. - Midfield : Declan Lynch
School : St. Mary's Belfast
Club : Lámh Dhearg
Declan has collected medals with his school at all levels up to and including Mageean Cup. He has also represented St Mary's in football reaching several finals and winning BT Corn Cholmchille. He has also represented Antrim at minor level in football and holds a Tony Forrestal Cup hurling medal. With Lámh Dhearg he has won medals for the Ulster senior hurling league, Under 16 league and championship, minor and senior football leagues, and the reserve hurling championship. - Midfield : Conor Laverty
School : Cross & Passion, Ballycastle
Club: St Brigid's Cloughmills / St Brendan's
This is Conor's second successive All-star having been selected at left-half forward last year. Conor was Cross & Passion's successful Mageean Cup captain in 2008, adding a second medal in October and he also holds medals at BT Thompson, Gallagher (2) and Foresters' Cup levels. He played midfield for Antrim minors when they won the Ulster title in June and has been a member of Antrim Development squads, the under 16 Ulster team and the Ulster Elite Development squad. He was Player of the Tournament for the north Antrim under 12 Indoor league and won a McAuley Cup medal with his club senior team. - Right-half forward : Paddy Heaney
School : St. Patrick's Armagh
Club : Armagh Cúchulainn's / Pearse Óg
Paddy has won BT McGreevy and McFarland Cup medals with his school and helped them qualify for the BT Casement Cup final this year. He will then have played in four successive Casement Cup finals. With Cúchulainn's he has won medals for the U12 and U14 championships and was 2009 Armagh Minor Player of the Year. He also picked up a senior championship medal in football with Pearse Ogs this autumn. He has 4 Northern Ireland soccer caps and has twice represented Armagh in the Milk Cup competition. - Centre-half forward : Stephen Beatty
School : De La Salle College, Belfast
Club: O'Donovan Rossa, Belfast
Stephen has represented his school at all levels winning a Year 8 blitz title.
With Rossa, he has collected 2 medals each at U14 and U 16 South Antrim Championship levels, minor and under 21 hurling and minor football championship levels as well as an Ulster Senior league. He also holds a number of under-age league medals. Stephen has also represented Antrim at minor level winning Ulster Minor league and championship medals. - Left-half forward : Conal McMahon
School : St Louis Ballymena
Club: Loughgiel Shamrocks
Conal has represented his school at all levels in hurling and football winning a BT Foresters' Cup medal 3 seasons ago. He was also a Year 12 Antrim All-star At club level, he has picked up 2 Antrim Féile na nGael medals, 2 McMullan Cups, 2 Darragh Cup, 2 Antrim U16 and 1 Antrim minor championship medals. He has represented Antrim at U14 and U16 level and currently plays soccer with Ballymoney United FC and has been on trial with Reading and Luton Town. - Right-corner forward : Conor McNally
School : St Patrick's Armagh
Club: Derrynoose
Conor has represented his school at all levels in football and hurling and is currently in the MacRory Cup squad. He has won 2 BT McGreevy Cups and a BT McFarland Cup with St Patrick's. He has played both sports at under-age level with Armagh and with Derrynoose he holds medals for the U14 Championship and Féile na nGael. He also came fourth in the All-Ireland Féile na nGael Skills' Competition. - Full-forward : Shane Jennings
School : Cross & Passion, Ballycastle
Club : McQuillan's Ballycastle
Shane has collected Ulster Colleges' hurling medals at all levels, including 2 BT Mageean Cups and he was a member of the school team that collected the O'Keefe Cup All-Ireland title for the first time in April. He has won a Tony Forrestal Medal with his county and Under 14 league, Shield and Cup medals as well as McMullan Cup and Under 16 League and Championship medals with McQuillan's. Shane is a son of former Antrim hurler Paul Jennings and he has captained Antrim in the Milk Cup and currently plays soccer with Limavady Utd in the Irish league. - Left-corner forward : Dónal McKinley
School : St. Louis Ballymena
Club : Loughgiel Shamrocks
Dónal has represented his school at all levels in hurling and football winning a BT Foresters' Cup medal 3 seasons ago. He was also a Year 12 Antrim All-star At club level, he has picked up 2 Antrim Féile na nGael medals, 2 McMullan Cups, 2 Darragh Cup, 2 Antrim U16 and 1 Antrim minor championship medals. He has represented Antrim at U14, U16 and minor level, winning provincial league and championship medals in 2009. Dónal plays rugby for Armoy and is a brother of Ciaran who collected an All-star in defence two seasons ago. - Sean Kelly's award at right-half back is the first ever hurling All-star for St Patrick's Dungannon. The school, current holders of the MacRory Cup, has collected 20 football awards over the years. His inclusion means that the number of schools honoured in hurling has risen to 23 — appropriately enough in this the 23rd year of the scheme.
- St Mary's 4 awards see them overtake St Patrick's Maghera at the top of the board with a total of 72 hurling All-stars over the past 23 seasons. This is the first team ever in which there is no player from Maghera named.
- Three players from this year's selection were included in last year's team. Matthew Donnelly retains the full-back jersey, Christopher McGuinness moves from centre-half forward to centre-half back, while Conor Laverty was left-half forward a year ago and is now named at midfield. In addition, Conor McClelland collects a second award, having been named at full-back two seasons ago.
- Matthew Donnelly equals the feat of his brother Ryan in collecting 2 successive All-stars. Ryan's were in 2005 and 2006. They are sons of former Antrim All-Ireland star Brian Donnelly.
- Dónal McKinley (St Louis Ballymena) is the second in the family to be named an All-star following brother Ciaran's award in 2007.
- Several of the team are promising soccer players holding contracts with Irish league clubs — Conal McMahon (Ballymoney Utd), Shane Jennings (Limavady Utd), while Paddy Heaney has 4 under-age caps.
- Full-forward Shane Jennings is the son of former Antrim and Ulster hurler Paul.
- The team includes a finalist in the Junior chess master championship, a cross-country runner who has represented his school at provincial level, and a rugby player with Armoy RFC.
